Somali Airlines Boeing 720

Somali Airlines probably wouldn't be anyone's first choice as a carrier, if it still existed.  It was formed in March 1964 as the national airline of Somalia with the aid of Italy's Alitalia,which initially held a 50% stake in the company, the balance held by the Somali government. The airline began operations in July the same year, initially serving domestic destinations with three DC-3s and two Cessna 180s. The airline started flying to Aden in March 1965, its first international route.  Somali Airlines became fully state-owned 1977. "Due to the political unrest in Somalia, all operations came to a halt in 1991."

The Boeing 720 was a four-engine narrow-body short- to medium-range passenger jet airliner, developed by Boeing in the late 1950s from the Boeing 707, with a shorter fuselage and less range. The 720 first flew in November 1959 and the model entered service with launch customer United Airlines in July 1960.  Two primary versions were built: the original 720 with Pratt & Whitney JT3C turbojet engines entered service in 1960, while the improved 720B with Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofans entered service in 1961. Some 720s were later converted to 720B specification.

Although only 154 were built, the Boeing 720/720B was still profitable due to the low research and development costs of it being a slightly modified version of the 707-120. It was later replaced by the Boeing 727.